Vehicle: Audi A8L 4.2 Quattro 6-speed Tiptronic with cold weather pkg, convenience pkg, front seat massage, 19″ wheels, solar moonroof, parking sensors, dual rear seat climate control, rear seat electric support, leather/door/armrest and center console with premium stitching, Alcantara pkg + dual panel security glass

Handling: The A8′s chassis has amazing rigidty thanks to its space frame construction. Its a very stiff and rigid chassis that has a light-on-its-feet feeling with pushing through corners. It feels like a much smaller car even if its a long-wheelbase version. Its not only a joy to drive in twisties, it also feels exceptionally balance. I drove this car at 160 km/h on freeway but felt like most car’s 50 km/h is a testament to its amazing freeway stability. Another attribute of A8′s tuning is the excellent balance of ride and handling. This car’s suspension absorbs bumps, washboard pavements and expansion joints exceptionally well without sacificing the sharp handling. The suspension is firm and taut without losing the supple people expect from a car of this caliber. The steering feels sharp, linear and responsive. It provides a decently heavy feel that lack in many of its competitors. The ESP doesn’t feel instrusive even when pushed through corners aggressively, it only kicks in when necessary. The A8 feels like driving an A6 given its nimbleness and agility which is truly a revelation. Not to mention Audi’s renowed Torsen Quattro system that adds all-weather security.

Performance: Powered by the proven 4.2L V8 32-valver that pumps out 330hp and 317 lb/ft of torque. The engine is simply a gem. It has excellent refinement, flexability and very willing to rev. Its also really quiet in its operation. During our freeway test drive, I clocked 120 km/h revs at a lowly 2000 rpm which is truly impressive. This engine mated with a great 6-speed Tiptronic that allows to driver to rev into the limter. The gear ratios are well-spaced and matched well with the powerplant. Its up and downshifts are very smooth without abrupt feeling.

Interior: The use of materials and build quality of A8′s interior are top-notch. The use of wood trim, aluminum trim and plastic are of excellent quality. There are many cubbyholes which have carpeting to protect the miscellaneous from moving around. It got a great set of analog instrumentation, automatic climate control and very comfortable Alcantara/leather seats. The biggest highlight of A8 is the use of MMI, or Multi-Media Interface. There are 8 buttons control the radio and navigation system. You can simply use that particular 4 buttons to control the stereo system. I could figure it out without reading the owner’s manual. This system also allows you to see the fan and position settings of the auto climate control. Its a pretty logical system to use overall. However, for those who don’t have experience with this sorta of technology. I still recommend study through the thick MMI manual before playing around during driving. On the back, it got tons of head and legroom with rear-seat climate control round out the wonderful package.

The trunk of the A8L is very well laid-out. It has a low liftover that allows for easy cargo access. Not only it got uninstrusive trunk hinges, the hinges are actually chrome-made. It truly speaks for its excellent attention-to-details. You also got a neat red case for the emergency trangle.

Brakes: Given the weight of the A8L, the brake has to be considered as excellent. The pedal feels firm, linear and easy to modulate. Its also fade-free after a couple of hard stops.

Conclusion: Given the A8L’s excellent execution which consists of attractive packging and pricing, Audi should really turnaround its weakest segment with this generation. Its not only has the merits to match the class leaders, it also has the ability to beat them.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 AUDI A8L
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.75/5
Value-for-money: 4.75/5

Overall rating: 5/5